Unknown number asterisk calls

[goingfishing]

Is anyone else getting calls at all hours of the day and night and getting unknown number asterisk on thier call display and there is no one on the other end? I have been getting these calls and they do not show up in my call list logs online. I will answer the phone once dead air and hang up and it will call again same thing. The last call was at 1am (wife pissed) is there any way to block this?

[tbrummell]

Doesn't sound like a FPL thing. You mention Asterisk, are you running your own server? Is port 5060 open to the internet? What version of Asterisk? If using something like FreePBX, what version of that? If it's not in the FPL list, sounds like you have 5060 open to the I'net and someone is coming in to your system to the default answer point. I have Any CID/Any DID calls set to be hung up on, then I have specific inbound routes for my FPL line.

[goingfishing]

No I am not runnning my own server, just a basic cogeco internet connection... the asterisk is what comes up on the phone CID display along with unknown number, no free PBX, how can I have any CID/Any DID calls set to be hung up on, not even sure to to access port 5060.

[tbrummell]

Ohhh, ok, the "Asterisk" part is what is appearing on your caller ID. FYI, "Asterisk" is an open source PBX, that's why I asked all of those questions.

Have you forwarded port 5060 from your router/firewall to your ATA?

[goingfishing]

No i don't know how to do that, I have a D-link router, any suggestions on how to do it?

[Ice]

If you login to your router you should see an Applications or Port Forwarding menu option somewhere where you can specify the port to a certain address on your network.

I realize it's not in much detail because I actually have another thought - will this actually work? I'm thinking, if it's not in the call logs then maybe this "Asterisk" connection is connecting directly to his home which rings the phone. To the experts - is this true, and if so will it help if there calls are restricted only to registered connections?

To "going fishing", can we join you?? lol I meant to ask, what ATA do you have? That might (not?) help us here

[goingfishing]

Grandstream HT286

[Ice]

Looking at the manual there's an option called "Allow incoming SIP messages from SIP proxy only"... you can try turning that ON. I'm assuming it'll still take messages from Freephoneline and block those other weird calls. Try it, then make test calls in + out and make sure your calls are still ok. Then let us know if it stops those random calls!

[goingfishing]

It happened again last night at 2:30am, my wife has told me she is going to take a hammer to the ATA... I will trying anything and see what happens, is anyone else have this issue? Is someone trying to hack me?

[FONGO_steve]

It happened again last night at 2:30am, my wife has told me she is going to take a hammer to the ATA... I will trying anything and see what happens, is anyone else have this issue? Is someone trying to hack me?

Are you on a static IP, or dynamic? What happens if you get a new IP?
Are you running any static DNS services, like dyndns.org, that someone might be sending requests to a hostname, instead of IP address?

[goingfishing]

I am using a dynamic ip... I am not running any static DNS services. I am a basic user... I have rebooted the modem and router several times and no luck. Any Sugestions?

http://www.cogeco.ca/cable/on/en/custom ... esses.html

[Ice]

Were you able to turn the "Allow incoming SIP messages from SIP proxy only" option on? It'll be good to know if that does NOT help us so atleast it would eliminate 1 possibility. I've had really random calls in the past too but not so much recently.

Is there a way to restrict calls only between, say, 7am-midnight on your Grandstream?

What router do you have? It's a little technical, but is there a way you can set to allow traffic ONLY from freephoneline? (Just to double check, you log into the Freephoneline website and it is NOT listed in your log lists, right?)

[goingfishing]

I am using a D-Link DIR-628... I could not find an option for "Allow incoming SIP messages from SIP proxy only" The phone calls do not show up in the logs on the Free Phone Line website site for my number... I did update the firmware in the router and cross my fingers I have not had another call since January 21 at 2am

[Ice]

It won't be a setting on your D-Llink router, but instead a setting on your Grandstream phone/ATA. Log into that web interface and it should be buried in there somewhere.

[goingfishing]

I found the setting and changed it... thanks for your help... I will repost if it happens again.

[Ice]

Great, hope it works... it'll be nice if it DOES work (ie. post in a month or so)... but at the same time I guess we'll know if it doesn't!

[ShelaghDB]

I am having the same issue and am about to cancel mine for its most annoying.

However, mine show up as FAX calls.
I keep having to check my voice messages and 9 out of 10 times its one of these.
Then I have to go to the website and check and each time its noted as a fax document in pdf format.
But when I try to download it, just out of curiosity, it attempts to and then I see this error "resumable error, receiving error" but sits at 0% so each time it can not be downloaded anyhow

Besides the annoying 2am phone calls, even when I am sitting right at the computer and it begins to ring, I cant connect or disconnect and it will keep ringing about 5x.

In my case i am not using a router but am on my MacBook Pro and have the program open.
I cannot find any SIP setting or whatever it is i saw in another thread about this same sounding issue.

This below is exactly what i see for each one, each time on the page for voice mails

Caller #unknown May 31, 2011 22:20:44 Fax Message view delete


Id like to know if this can be fixed and if not, I will sadly have to delete the software and use another one.

[Ice]

Wow... I just typed out a reply and it....DISAPPEARED! A quick summary...

This is an old thread - if admins prefer, recreate this into a new thread because your problem is actually different. Thread problem = calls bypassing FPL; Your problem = calls go through FPL.

In the meantime, consider...
1) Turn off your software at night
2) New number from FPL - consider changing it (get a new one)
3) Old number (ported into FPL) - did you have this problem before? Not much would have changed
4) National do-not-call list. Some people say it's a joke (with reason), but a couple articles recently say it's actually working (yay?).

I'd send a private message to 'admin' (Kris) or 'fpl-steve' (Steve) and they may be able to help you investigate this. Short of blocking ALL unknown calls, there isn't really an easy solution. It's coming from/through FPL so what software you use won't change anything.

[ShelaghDB]

I dont know. I just got rid of a home telephone and i NEVER got phone calls on it. This is causing about 5 per week...........but, that said, I will send a message to the two of them........as for needing a new number, Ive never given this number out and only use it to call my husband on his cell phone so I suspect the annoying calls are randomly hitting numbers


If there was a way to block all unknown calls Id be happy to do so

[tbrummell]

Numbers get recycled, so the number you received may have been a known fax number in a past life. If it's feasible, ask FPL for a new number, your problem will most likely go away. Been using FPL for over a year, have not had 1 fax call, except for the one I placed to my number to prove that it can receive faxes....